Mizugami/SessionTwo

15th Day of Resplendent Air, RY 768

I'm sure I told Crow nothing she didn't already know, but I felt it was my duty anyway. Kira was dangerously inquisitive in Dunleavy and it took much of my skill to talk her into conducting more research first. At least Crow confirmed that the Hall is no direct danger and it's being used as a test.

19th Day of Resplendent Air, RY 768

I was also able to settle things with Lasha over the Speaker election. She's a micro-manager, but she still has valuable experience and knowledge. I don't need her as an enemy over something that wasn't even my choice. Even if it costs me a few extra hours a week in meetings with her, it's worth it.

28th Day of Resplendent Air, RY 768

A new freshman is arriving tomorrow. Rector Danic asked for a volunteer to help her settle in and when no one else volunteered, I did. I'm concerned I may need to break a rule or two to help offset what is surely a growing reputation as the teacher's pet. So far the freshmen and many of the juniors don't seem to have a very nuanced view of life, so my attempts to make the most of my education are looked at as brown-nosing and being a stickler for rules. Rector Danic wouldn't, or couldn't, tell me who the new student is or where she's from, so this could be interesting.

There just aren't enough hours in the day to do all that I wish to accomplish. I may have to start doing independent study during my eaiser classes and learn to get by on less sleep. Maybe researching some magic or pharmaceuticals that could help with that would be useful, too. I don't want anything addictive, though, and those sorts of things always seem to be addictive.

1st Day of Descending Air, RY 768

Well, our new student is first in line for the throne of Gem and an accomplished sorcerer, too. She's young, but has clear command of her Fire-aspect. I was surprised at her relative lack of ego. Most petty potentates and their offspring have massive egos, at least in my studies. I have to admit that Princess Ranka is the first that I've actually met, though. Her retinue was also smaller than I would have expected. The 10 bodyguards amuse me. She also showed up with what had to be a massive bribe of gems for the School.

Rector Danic didn't even give her time to settle in before she assembled us for a new test. She arranged full-contact fights between the freshmen. Kazuki fought Judas first. Neither one of them seemed to take it seriously until suddenly Kazuki landed a blow from his lance that, honestly, seemed less severe than some of the unarmed shots he started the fight with. Nevertheless, Judas yielded the field after that hit and lost the bout. Perhaps he's now trying to conceal his strengths? Kazuki was his usual whirling bundle of energy. Sometimes you'd think he was an Air-aspect instead of Wood.

Kira and Ja'hanna fought next. I don't think anyone expected their fight to go the way it did. Instead of some fast-moving duel ranging all over the Palace, Kira charged. She landed the first blow, but it's obvious hand-to-hand combat is a weakness for her. Her technique was poor and she got into melee with a Fire-aspect, all while she had a bow on her back. I don't know what she was thinking, but Ja'hanna made her regret it. She simply grabbed Kira and used her aspect to engulf them both in flames. Rector Danic ended the fight at that time.

Finally, I had to fight Ranka. I think we fought out of necessity rather than because it was a compelling match. It ended up kind of interesting, I guess. I figured my only chance was a quick knockout before she could end it with magic. If I were stronger and hadn't just seen what happens when you grapple a Fire-aspect, I might've tried to grapple her to take magic spells out of the equation. But I'm not strong enough to reliably control a wrestling match and I was disinclined to suffer Kira's fate.

Luckily I was quicker and landed a solid flying punch to start the fight. Unfortunately, though it staggered her, it did not stop her. That's when she set me on fire. I think I would have fared better if I'd used more Essence sooner. My anima wasn't strong enough to douse the flames and before I could react, she did it again! This time I calmed down enough, focused, and suppressed the flames entirely. It took an immense amount of effort and I was still badly hurt from the first attack. But having taken that second gout of fire, I decided I'd done well enough to yield and not look bad. Risking a crippling or maiming injury would have been stupid. Rector Danic was impressed by my resilience, at least.

After being healed by Incomparable Ebony Comet and taking a bath, Ranka invited the freshmen to socialize in her suite. Judas and Ja'hanna wandered away after their matches and missed the invitation. It was a nice time. Ranka's fascinated by foreign life in general, but peasant life in particular. She asked Kazuki a lot of questions. However well-educated a sorcerer she is, I don't think she knows much about the world at large. Heck, none of them do. Anyway, it was a nice night.

6th Day of Descending Air, RY 768

Classes were uneventful this week. Ranka's in a few of mine. I can't tell if I'm making progress with Kazuki yet, but I'm still trying. The Greater Deliberative meets tomorrow. Kira should give her report and then I figure we'll move to go deal with the poltergeist. She's been researching it for the last 2 weeks and says she knows, more or less, what we have to do.

7th Day of Descending Air, RY 768

Well that was an unmitigated disaster. I have no idea how a scion of Mnemon could reach secondary school with no understanding of politics and power. Not only did Saiki's presence litter her report, she practically accused Chead of hiding something and rubbed his nose in it, to boot. Then Ranka joined in! She's obviously not used to dealing with social equals. I was honestly stunned and let it get out of hand before I could interject.

When I'd got my wits about me again, I motioned that we follow Kira's plan to deal with the poltergeist. I made a spontaneous, impassioned speech about restoring Dunleavy Hall as a legacy to future classes and rather neatly sidelined Chead's counter argument. My plan was to get him upset with me, rather than Kira and Ranka. Then Judas came over the top with more accusations which I think left me in the clear. It was one of my better speeches, I think. I do wonder how I'll do when I finally have to argue something I don't really believe in or understand.

Anyway, my motion was seconded and Kira's committee added Lasha, Haining, and Ranka. When it passed, we moved on to the school festival. Judas proposed 'Delights of Autumn' and Lasha proposed 'History of the School'. Several less serious suggestions were made, as well. For some reason, Ranka wanted the discussion tabled, so we put it off for the next meeting.

After a short time on the subcommittee meeting, Judas stormed off, telling us to wait around til he came back. we pretty much ignored him because he refuses to explain himself. He's got this infantile habit of getting a smug last word and then walking away. Kira discovered that you can put a poltergeist to rest by destroying whatever is focusing it, then restoring the area being haunted to whatever state it was in, pre-haunting. We plan to go back there this Sunday during the day to end it.

When the subcommittee meeting ended, Judas was still gone, so I managed to pull the other freshmen aside, plus Reflections, for a small talk about politics. Sadly, I think Reflections is the only one who understood any of it. Kira has this bizarre notion that nothing happening in the Threshold has any effect on life back on the Blessed Isle. Ranka doesn't really get it yet, but being heir to the throne of a Threshold Kingdom doesn't mean much to many Dynasts except for what they can use her for.

Kazuki, as ever, is clueless. But I made him an offer. I'd take some of his nocturnal monster hunts so he could get more sleep and spend more time on schoolwork. I'd also help him study and work on homework. He says he'll think about it and I believe him. He could be the best of us all if he can be made to understand the way Creation works. I also have to confess that I'm jealous of his monster hunting exploits. I'm talking a good game, but he's out there doing it.

Well, as I was writing that last bit, Jade arrived at my suite looking for everyone. He'd gone after Judas when the meeting broke up. Apparently Judas decided to fight Chead for the info we needed. He claims to have won and gotten what we needed, but Jade says he found Chead walking out of the courtyard and Judas face down in a pool of his own blood. That boy can certainly take a beating.

Anyway, Judas says we're looking for a book of poetry and we'll need to read from it. Knowing what the focus is should make this a pretty quick operation. We just need the Lesser Deliberative to sign off on it and then Chead has to agree. I think Chead may be the larger problem of the two, but we'll see. While collecting everyone to get this info from Judas, Unrepentent Jade showed Reflections and me some really useful shortcuts around campus. All these years here and I had no clue about them.

8th Day of Descending Air, RY 768

The Lesser Deliberative approved our plan. We go into Dunleavy Hall at the end of the week. Tevaned will have the spirit draught for us at breakfast.

13th Day of Descending Air, RY 768

From what I hear, Ranka has taken my cue and is trying to involve Kazuki in their joint classes just like I do. I hope he's not monster hunting tonight. Unless he gets Saiki to show up tomorrow, he'll be the only one with an artifact weapon, so him being alert and on top of his game is important. I'll write again when we're finished tomorrow.

14th Day of Descending Air, RY 768

Success! The memory of Glory is banished and we've begun turning it back into a dorm. It wasn't without drama, but it was less eventful than I'd expected. Kazuki invited Saiki and, even knowing their history, Judas tried to get Chead to come along. Thankfully he refused, though the rest of my spirit draught has ended up the Dragons know where. Judas really likes to appear deep and thoughtful, I guess, but he ducks every opportunity to defend his positions or debate policy. It reminds me of a spoiled child and frustrates the heavens out of me. He's got so many gifts, and he even shows flashes of concern; if he ever learns to slow down and talk for a moment, he could be an even more valuable classmate.

Like dealing with the poltergeist, for instance. He tricked it into believing he was Chead and we thus avoided fighting it completely. Brilliant stuff on his part. And when it was over he walked out without a word, ignored my attempts to stop him and get everyone to agree to a story, then issued random, imperious orders to Cynis Elin outside. He made the act so easy and the aftermath so needlessly complex.

Glory was no demon. She was a Dawn Caste Solar Anathema. We watched the memory replay, mostly. She Exalted and he acted with uncompromising devotion to duty. Unfortunately the freshmen were unable to stop her and she escaped. Saiki still hunts her and if I had to guess, Chead hunts her, too.